Ian Leslie
Encyclopedia
Ian Leslie OAM is an Australia
n television journalist and corporate communicator. He is best known for his 12 years (1977-1989) as a member of the original team on 60 Minutes.
, Dutch East Indies
(now Indonesia
) in 1942. His parents were from Aberdeen
, Scotland
. In 1950 they moved to Toowoomba, Queensland
, Australia
. He is a member of the Australian branch of Clan Leslie
.
He commenced his journalism career in Toowoomba in 1962. He moved to Sydney
in 1972 as Senior Reporter with the Ten Network
. In 1977, the Australian edition of 60 Minutes was launched on the Nine Network
, with Ian Leslie, Ray Martin
and George Negus
as the journalistic team. He remained in that role for the next 12 years, until 1989.
Among many journalistic achievements, he is the only Australian journalist to have interviewed the then Egyptian President Anwar Sadat
.
In 1989 he rejoined the Ten Network to undertake documentaries and special projects. He then became the main presenter of the Ten Evening News.
In 1990 he formed his own production company specialising in corporate communications.
In 2005 Leslie became the anchor for Fox Television
's documentary series Running On Empty.
.
He is a three-time winner of the Logie Award
. He won Logies for:
In the Queen’s Birthday Honours of 2009 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia
(OAM), for services to the media, particularly current affairs journalism, and to the community.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n television journalist and corporate communicator. He is best known for his 12 years (1977-1989) as a member of the original team on 60 Minutes.
Biography
Ian Craig Leslie was born in JavaJava
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
(now Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
) in 1942. His parents were from Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. In 1950 they moved to Toowoomba, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He is a member of the Australian branch of Clan Leslie
Clan Leslie
Clan Leslie is a Lowland Scottish clan.-Origins:The family name comes from the Leslie lands of Aberdeenshire and was to become famous in Germany, Poland, France and Russia...
.
He commenced his journalism career in Toowoomba in 1962. He moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1972 as Senior Reporter with the Ten Network
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
. In 1977, the Australian edition of 60 Minutes was launched on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
, with Ian Leslie, Ray Martin
Ray Martin (television presenter)
Raymond George "Ray" Martin AM is an Australian television journalist. He is best known for his various on-air roles on Channel Nine from 1978 to 2008. In 2011 he returned to 60 Minutes....
and George Negus
George Negus
George Edward Negus is an Australian author, journalist, and television presenter. He previously presented 6:30 with George Negus on Network Ten, until it was axed by the Network on 19 October 2011.-Education:...
as the journalistic team. He remained in that role for the next 12 years, until 1989.
Among many journalistic achievements, he is the only Australian journalist to have interviewed the then Egyptian President Anwar Sadat
Anwar Sadat
Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat was the third President of Egypt, serving from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 October 1981...
.
In 1989 he rejoined the Ten Network to undertake documentaries and special projects. He then became the main presenter of the Ten Evening News.
In 1990 he formed his own production company specialising in corporate communications.
In 2005 Leslie became the anchor for Fox Television
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
's documentary series Running On Empty.
Honours and awards
Ian Leslie has won six awards for distinguished journalism, including a Walkley AwardWalkley Awards
The annual Walkley Awards, under the administration of the Walkley Foundation for Journalism, are presented in Australia to recognise and reward excellence in journalism. Finalists are chosen by an independent board of eminent journalists and photographers. The awards cover all media including...
.
He is a three-time winner of the Logie Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
. He won Logies for:
- Best News Coverage in 1974Logie Awards of 1974The 14th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were presented on Friday 8 March 1974 at Southern Cross Hotel in Melbourne and broadcast on the Nine Network. Bert Newton was the Master of Ceremonies...
- Outstanding Public Affairs Report in 1982Logie Awards of 1982The 24th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were presented on Friday 12 March 1982 at the Hilton Hotel in Melbourne. Bert Newton was the Master of Ceremonies. Australian-born film star Rod Taylor, Swedish actress Britt Ekland and American television actors Cindy Williams, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Urich,...
- TV Reporter of the Year in 1986Logie Awards of 1986The 28th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were presented on Friday 18 April 1986 at the State Theatre in Sydney, and broadcast on the Nine Network...
.
In the Queen’s Birthday Honours of 2009 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(OAM), for services to the media, particularly current affairs journalism, and to the community.